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11,628 706 May 1927' 1.. F. BARNES TRAFFI C S IGNAL Filed June 1926Patented May 17, 1927.-

uNITEn :VISTATES. PATENT OFFICE".

iczaree LIONEL IFRETJERIGK BARNEQ, OF :W'INDEiUR, CANADA.

TRAFFIC SIGNAL.

Application filed June 21, 1926. Serial No. 117,567.

.My invention relates to improvements in traffic signals, and the objectof the inventionis to devise a traiiic signal which maybeautoniatically, operated at predetermined intervals to simultaneouslyset the signal arms and signal lights corresponding to eachsignal todirect the traiiic at a street intersection, and it consists essentiallyof the arrangement and construction of parts as hereinafter moreparticularly explained.

Fig. 1 is a View partially inelevation and partially in section of mydevice.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the central portion of my device. I

Fig. 3 is asectional view on line Figure 1. i

Fig. is a sectional enlarged detail of a portion. of my operatingmechanism.

In the drawing likecharacters of refer ence indicatecorresponding partsin each figure. I v I l indicates adomed casing formed integral withthe'circular base2 secured byany suitable means to the substructurelocated at the street intersection and provided with a door foraccessito the mechanism contained within the casing 1. The casing 1 isprovided centrally with a tubular upwardly extending neck 3 forming withthe tube at which is secured to the neck as indicated a verticalstandard carrying at its upperend a cylindrical housing 5, the housing 5being provided at its upper-end witha cover 6 secured thereto havingcentral orifice 7 provided with an annular flange? coacting with thecover 7 carried by the shaft 12 to make the orifice 7 waterproof.

The lower end of the housing 5 is pro vided with an orifice 8 invertical alignment with the orifice '4' and around which extends anannular flange 8* securedto the upper The housing 5 is provided in itsperiphery with four orifices each designated bythe numeral 9 in each ofwhich is located a lens 10 provided with a hood1O the lenses 10 beingarranged preferably ninety degrees apart so as to be directed; in adirection parallel with the two streets formingthe intersection.

ll a spider which is secured within the casing 1 inyproximity to theupper end thereof and provided centrally with a verticalbearing 11having a central orifice 11. in which is preferably secured a bushingsleeve 12*. 12 is a vertically movable shaft which is preferablytubular, the lower end of the shaft being provided with a cylindricalenlargement 13 which may be either formed integral with the shaft 12 orsuit ably connected thereto and from which extends a downwardly directedred like extension 14 which may also be formed int-egral. with the part13 or suitably connected thereto.

15 is. the operatingmotor electric or mechanical of my device providedwitha motor shaft 15 provided with a Worm 15. 16 is a worm gearmountedupon a shaft 17 nounted insuitable bearings (not shown) which-- may beformed in the casing 1 or in any other suitable way. 18 is acam providedwitha cam finger 19 which when the cam 18 is revolved in the directionof arrow, see Figure '1, by the motor 15 travels beneath the part 11 sothat the finger 19 engages therewith and forces parts 14, 13 and 12upward. I

21, 22, 23 and 24 are four arms arranged ninety degrees apart and fromwhich depend indicating flanges 25 on which the direction indication isinscribed, such as Go or Stop. 28 is a central head secured to the upperend of the shaft 12 and provided with an annular flange 27 to which thatis to say, witl i alternately vertically set portions 29 andinterconnecting inclined l portions 29. 30 is a screw pin secured in anoriiice 31 formed in the bearing 11 and extending through an orifice32'for1ned in the bushing sleeve 12".

The inner end of the screw pin 30 extends into the annular groove 29 andin a position shown at the apex of one of the zigzag portions formed bythe grooved parts 29 and 29. The inner end of the screw pin 30 ispreferably provided with an anti friction roller 33 which travels withinthe groove 29.

It will thus be seen that 1161111160213 finger v19 from thereundertheshaft 12drops by gravityso that an inclined portion 29 of the groove 29engages the pin 30 thereby .actuating the shaft so that it turns aquarter turn as the pin 30 passes to the p0 s tion shown in Flgure 4:from the lower end position of the lenses 1.0 and the indicating.

flanges 25. 36 is a standard arm mounted at itsl'ower end upon thespider 11 and extendin upwardly in an inclined direction to a positionat one side of the shaft 12 as indicated at 36 37 is a curved platepivotally mounted at its upper end at 38 upon the endof 36 so as todepend therefrom in such a position that one of the rollers 34 locatedbeneath the same engages with the convexed face of the plate which isresiliently held from movement away from such roller by means of thetension spring 39 secured at one end to the plate 37 and at the oppositeend to an ad'usting screw 40 extending through the stan ard 36. By theadjusting screw 40 the tension on the spring 39 may be varied.

It will thus be seen that when the shaft '12 is moved vertically so thatthe pin 30' travels from the upper end of the grooved portion 29 to thelower end and during such travel the corresponding roller 34 engages theconvexed face of the plate 37 so that as the shaft 12 travels upward aslight pressure is exerted by the spring 39 upon the roller so that whenthe pin 30 reaches the lower end of the grooved portion 29 the shaft 12is moved over a slight distance by such pressure so that the in 30definitely passes from the grooved portion 29 into the grooved portion29.

41 is a spider secured in the housing 5 in proximity to its lower endand provided with a central vertical bearing 42 through which the shaft12 freely extends. 43 are indicating lights arranged opposite each lens10 as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3. 44 is a screen supportcarrying four screens 45,

.46, 47 and 48 of transparent material and alternately coloured greenand red, such screens when in the normal position being interposedbetween lights 43 and lenses 10. The screen support 44 is secured to theshaft 12 as indicated at 49 so that when the shaft 12 is movedvertically as hereinbefore described thescreens 45, 46, 4'7 and 48 movetherewith.

50 is a spring which freely encircles the shaft 12 and may be securd atits upper end to the screen support 44. 5']. are opaque portions whichare interposed between each. screen 45, 46, 47 and 48.

It will thus be seen that when the shaft 12 is alternately raised andlowered by the cam finger 19 that the arms 21, 22, 23 and 24 and thescreens 45, 46, 47 and 48 are Slmultaneously moved in unison one quarterturn so that the indication Go and the green screen are carried to thecorresponding position to indicate the resumption of traific through thecorresponding crossed street and simultaneously indicating Stop and aredv light at the street extending transversely of the aforesaid street.

The lights 43 may be controlled by a suitable switch 52 located in thecasing 1.

lVhen the sha'ft12 is released so that the mechanism drops back to itslower position the spring 50 carried at the screen siip ort 44 engageswiththespider 41 and thereby cushions the fall so as to prevent any jarto the mechanism and at the same time render the device noiseless.

From this description it will be seen tha I have devised a very simpledevice where y traffic may be automatically controlled to stop or go ata street intersection, which will be positive in action, noiseless andnot liable to get out of order.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A trailic signal comprising'a standard adapted to be located ata'streetintersection, a stationary housing secured to' the upper end ofthe standard, lenses arranged in the wall of the"housing opposite eachstreet outlet from the intersection, arms radiating from the housingand'carrying alternately Go and Stop indications, a light source withinthe housing for illuminating the lenses, and means for simultane ouslycarrying theindicating arms circumferentially by' an intermittentquarter turn movement and changing the colourof' the rays passing fromthe light source through the lenses of the stationary housing tocorrespond to the aforesaid imam indication carried by the arms.

A trailic signal comprising a casing located at the street intersectionand having a central opening in the top thereof, a tubular standardextending upward from around such opening, a stationary housing carriedby the upper end of the standard, a plurality of lenses peripherallyarranged around the housing wall opposite each street outlet from theintersection, a light source within the housing opposite each. lens, avertical shaft mounted in vertical bearings and extendin upward from theaforesaid casing througdi the tubular standard and housing, trafficindicating arms carried by the upper end of the shaft and carryingalternately Go and Stop means within the casing for automaticallyturning the shaft by a step by step movement to carry the armsalternately into alignment with the streets forming the intersectionextending at an angle one to the other, and means for simultaneouslychanging the colour of the light passing through the lenses of thestationary housing to correspond with the trafiicindication of the arms.

3. A traflic sigial comprising a casing 10- eated at the streetintersection and having a central openingin the'top thereof, a tubu larstandard extending upward from around such opening, a vertical bearinglocated cen trally in the casing, a vertical shaft mount-- ed in thevertical bearing and extending up ward from the aforesaid casing throughthe tubular standard, traffic indicating arms carried by the upper endof the shaft and carrying alternately Go and Stop signs, an annularcam-way formed in the shaft and comprising alternate vertical andinclined interconnecting portions, means for automatically raising theshaft vertically at predetern'iined intervals, and a pin extendingthrough the aforesaid vertical bearing into the vertical portion of thesaid cam-way as the shaft is raised, and means for engaging the pinwith. the inclined portion of the camway as the shaft is released.

t. A traffic signal comprising a casing located at the streetintersection and having a central opening in the top thereof, a tubularstandard extending upward from around such opening, a vertical. shaftmounted in vertical bearings and extending upward from the aforesaidcasing through the tubular standard, traffic indicating arms carried bythe upper end of the shaft and carrying alternately Go and Stop signs,an annular cam-way formed in the shaft and comprising alternate verticaland inclined interconnecting portions, a pin extending through one ofthe aforesaid vertical bearings into said cam-way, means adapted toalternately raise the shaft when the pin extends into the verticalportion of the camway, and to release the shaft and means for carryingthe pin when the shaft is released into engagement with the inclinedportion of the camway and means for insuring the passage of the pin fromeach vertical grooved portion into the next adjacent inclined portion ofthe cam-way.

5. A traffic signal comprising a casing located at the streetintersection and havin a central opening in the top thereof, a tuaularstandard extending upward from around such openin a vertical shaftmounted in vertical bearings and extending upward from the aforesaidcasing through the tubular standard, t'aiiic indicating arms carried.

by the upper end of the shaft and carrying alternately Go and Stopsigns, means for alternately raising and releasing the shaft; an annularcam-way formed in the shaft and comprising alternate vertical andinclined interconnecting portions, a pin extending through one of theaforesaid vertical bearings into said cam-way to alternately enter thevertical and inclined portions of the oamway, a standard arm carried ina stationary position and extending adjacent to the vertical shaft, aplate pivotally mounted to depend from the upper end of the standard armand having a convexed face, rollers journalled upon pins extendingradially from the shaft normally located on a plane beneath theaforesaid plate, and spring means for resiliently holding the plateagainst one of the aforesaid rollers as the shaft is moved vertically tocarry the vertical portion of the cam-Way upward.

6. A traffic signal comprising .a casing located at the streetintersection and having a central opening in the top thereof, a. tubularstandard extending upward from around such opening, a. vertical shaftmounted in vertical bearings and extending upward from the aforesaidcasing through the tubular standard, traflic indicating arms carried bythe upper end ofthe shaft and carrying alternating G0 and Stop signs,means for imparting a vertical upward movement to the shaft adapted torelease the shaft at the end of its upward movement to drop by gravity,means for cushioning the fall of the shaft, and means for imparting astep by step circumferential movement to the arms carried by the shaftby each up and lar neck formed in the top thereof, a tubular standardextending upward from said neck, astationary housing carried by theupper end of the standard, lenses arranged around the housing at asuitable angular distance apart, a light source within the housingopposite each lens, a vertically movable shaft extending upward from thecasing through the tubular standard and housing, traffic indicating armscarried by the upper end of the shaft, means for imparting a step bystep rotary movement to the shaft and the arms carried therebyalternately coloured screens carried by the shaft and interposed betweeneach light source and its corresponding lens and adapted to be carried.with the shaft by its step by step movement so as to pass in unison withthe trafiic indicating arms from one indicating position to another andfrom one lens to the next to in dicate the correspondingly colouredlight.

LIONEL FREDERICK BARNES.

